The Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA) is issuing a Stage 1 Burn Ban effective at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 11, 2012 for all of Clark County through 1:00 pm Saturday January 14, 2012. Stagnant weather patterns are forecast and fine particle pollution levels are expected to rise Wednesday night through Saturday morning. Evening inversions followed by poor daytime ventilation and dispersion is forecasted to continue causing continued levels of moderate to high fine particle pollution levels that will continue throughout the week and into the weekend. This stagnant weather pattern means that the use of all fireplaces and uncertified wood stoves and inserts is prohibited until Saturday afternoon when a front is forecasted to bring improved ventilation to the area. All outdoor burning is also prohibited during this Stage 1 Burn Ban. However, if air quality should continue to deteriorate, this Burn Ban may have to be extended or upgraded to a Stage 2, which would prohibit all wood burning, including fireplaces, certified wood stoves, inserts and pellet stoves. If wood burning is your only adequate source of heat, you are exempt and we ask that you burn as clean as possible.
Posts by «Traci Arnold»
Due to the forecast for more active weather patterns and improving air quality conditions, the Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA) is removing the Stage 1 Burn Ban for Clark County effective 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011. The restrictions on using wood stoves and fireplaces in Clark County will then be lifted. This afternoon residents may once again use their wood stoves and fireplaces, but are asked to burn as cleanly as possible.
For those who heat with wood, please remember that it is always illegal to produce excess chimney smoke and to smoke out your neighbor. You know you are burning properly when you do not see any smoke coming from your chimney. “We want to thank those citizens who have complied with the recent burn bans and ask that when they do burn, that they use only dry, seasoned firewood and follow clean burning practices.” said Robert Elliott, Executive Director of the Southwest Clean Air Agency. For more information about cleaner wood burning techniques, and to sign up for our email notification list please visit www.swcleanair.org/burnclean.html.
As of Tuesday at 4:00 p.m., in areas of Clark County where burning has not been permanently banned, outdoor burning will again be allowed with the proper permits. However, burning at any time adds to the air pollution levels in your local community, and residents are encouraged to seek alternatives to burning throughout the year. When outdoor burning does take place please note that only natural vegetation may be burned and a smoke nuisance may not be caused. State law prohibits the burning of garbage, home-repair debris, and other prohibited materials at any time. Burn barrels of any kind are also prohibited by state law.
The Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA) is issuing a Stage 1 Burn Ban effective at 5:00 p.m. Monday, December 12, 2011 for all of Clark County. Fine particle pollution levels rose quickly over the weekend due to continuing stagnant weather patterns. A stubborn high pressure system is forecast to reassert itself Monday night with evening inversions followed by limited daytime ventilation and dispersion through at least Wednesday, and possibly beyond. This stagnant weather pattern means that the use of all fireplaces and uncertified wood stoves and inserts is prohibited until the outlook indicates sustained air quality improvement and the Burn Ban is lifted.
All outdoor burning is also prohibited during this Stage 1 Burn Ban, which will remain in place until further notice. If air quality continues to deteriorate, this Burn Ban may have to be upgraded to a Stage 2, which would prohibit all wood burning, including fireplaces, certified wood stoves, inserts and pellet stoves. If wood burning is your only adequate source of heat, you are exempt and we ask that you burn as clean as possible.
These curtailments occur in two progressive stages as needed: Stage 1: The use of all fireplaces and uncertified wood stoves and inserts is banned when pollution is forecasted to reach unhealthy levels. Uncertified units are typically older than 1990 and lack a certification label on the back of the unit. Stage 2: All wood heating is prohibited, including certified units, when the Stage 1 curtailment has not reversed the increasing pollution trend and weather conditions still indicate a high risk for exceeding air quality health standards.
Due to the onset of favorable weather patterns and improving air quality conditions, the Southwest Clean Air
Agency (SWCAA) is removing the Stage 1/Stage 2 Burn Ban for Clark County effective 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011. The restrictions on using wood stoves and fireplaces in Clark County will then be lifted. This afternoon residents
may once again use their wood stoves and fireplaces, but are asked to burn as cleanly as possible. For those who heat with wood,
please remember that it is always illegal to produce excess chimney smoke and to smoke out your neighbor. You know you are burning properly when you do not see any smoke coming from your chimney. For more information about cleaner wood burning techniques, please visit www.swcleanair.org/burnclean.html.
Due to an extended air stagnation forecast and persistent high levels of fine particle air pollution in Clark County, the Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA) is issuing a Stage 2 Burn Ban effective immediately throughout Clark County. Continued strong evening-to-morning inversions followed by inhibited daytime ventilation and dispersion have caused fine particle air pollution levels to rise to the federal health-based standard. These stagnant conditions are now forecast to continue through the work week. The use of all fireplaces, wood stoves and inserts, and pellet stoves is prohibited until air quality improves and the Stage 2 Burn Ban is lifted. If wood burning is your only source of heat, you are exempt from this curtailment and we ask that you burn as clean as possible. All outdoor burning is also prohibited during this Stage 2 Burn Ban.